


The Girl Next Door

by dietcokeenthusiast



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), F/F, First Date, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-01-26 15:01:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12560004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dietcokeenthusiast/pseuds/dietcokeenthusiast
Summary: Aside from a few boring classes, Ibuki's loving university life. She starts to love it even more when she discovers the cute girl she saw in the quad actually lives in the dorm next door.





	1. I Saw Her Standing There

Ibuki struggled to keep her eyes open. Musical history class was just the most boring thing. 

 

It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate any of the classics; Ibuki loved all kinds of music depending on her mood, and on nights where she wasn’t out partying or performing, classical was an awesome soundtrack. Still, if she wanted to just learn more about Mozart, that was easy enough for her to look up on her own (and she did!). She had been considered a prodigy of anything music related since she was little, and everything she learned so far in the class ended up being the same stuff she knew before with bigger words. What Ibuki really wanted to learn about  was new artists. The ones who were breaking the rules about what you were supposed to do, who were willing to try new things, who’d rather put out an interesting failure than something okay-sounding but safe.  _ That’s the kind of education we’d have if Ibuki were in charge! _

 

Ibuki was not in charge, though, and for now musical history was a requirement. Fidgeting, she glanced up at the clock and couldn’t suppress her smile when she saw the time.  _ Two minutes left? Not paying attention really does pay off! _ It was easy enough to listen to a couple more minutes of rambling about Bach before they got the readings for next class. Not that Ibuki intended to read them.

 

So with that, she hopped out of her desk and started out of the lecture theater. A big grin was plastered on her face as she made her way out of the music building, warm air and sunshine kissing her face. Ibuki wasn’t sure who decided to put a university on a tropical island, but she wanted to bite them with gratitude.

 

She wore her grin all the way to the quad, where she made her way to the lounge. It had become the de facto hangout spot for her and the friends she made at orientation. Decent food cheap drinks, good tunes, it was perfect! Sure enough, her pal Hajime was waiting at their usual table. He was always the first one there. Sliding into the booth beside him, she just about crushed him with a hug. “HAJIMEEEE!!!”

 

Hajime grunted, and put his arms on Ibuki the best he could manage with them being pinned to his side. “Can’t you just say hello? Like a normal person?”

 

She just giggled. “Why would Ibuki wanna do that?” Letting go of Hajime, she plopped down on the seat next to him. “So, you been practicing?”

 

“When I get the chance. I’m telling you, though, I don’t actually know how to play the drums. I know you say it’s just moving my arms and legs, but it’s actually hard to do that.”

 

“Well that’s why Hajime needs to practice, silly! Even then, there’s plenty of great musicians who didn’t really know how to play.”

 

“Uh huh…” Hajime replied, the sarcasm going right over Ibuki’s head.

 

“Besides, if you’re really worried, Ibuki’s good enough to switch to any time Hajime’s playing in. It’ll sound totally on purpose. See? You’re smiling a bit! You know Ibuki’s right!”

 

Sure enough, he actually was smiling a bit. “All right… I guess if you’re going to make me look good it’s okay.”

 

“Good evening!” An elegant voice greeted.

 

Looking up, Ibuki gave an enthusiastic wave. “Hi Sonia!”

 

“Oh, would you look at that?” Kazuichi grinned, entering the lounge rather conveniently. “Arriving at the same time as Miss Sonia? What a coincidence! After you,” he offered, gesturing to the booth with a flourish.

 

“Oh, that is most kind of you!” She said warmly, as she took the spot next to Ibuki, much to Kazuichi’s chagrin. “My abnormal psychology class was most interesting today. We studied the psychological profile of Edward Gein. It was horrific, but truly fascinating!”

 

Pouting, Kazuichi took the opposite side of the table. Sliding in right beside him without a greeting was Akane. “Hey everyone! Sorry I’m a bit late, I saw Nekomaru a bit after class. When we going to get some food over here?”

 

“I ordered nachos and a pitcher. Should be here before too long,” Hajime replied.

 

“Good, because I’m starving!”

 

“When are you not?” Kazuichi asked.

 

Ibuki giggled, and glanced outside briefly to see if anyone else was on their way to join them today. Suddenly, the rest of the voices in the conversation seemed to slip away, even with her rockstar hearing. The only sound she could really hear was her heart going ka-thump, ka-thump, ka-thump. Her eyes widened, and her mouth hung open. Standing just outside the lounge in a pink dress was a total cutie; soft looking brown hair that went down to her waist, long, elegant fingers, big brown eyes, the cutest pink lips… there was no resisting on Ibuki’s part. Pretty girls made her weak in the knees to begin with, and if she hadn’t been sitting down, she’d be sprawled out on the floor with hearts in her eyes.

 

“HEY!”

 

Ibuki snapped back to attention. “Oh, hey Akane!”

 

“What are you doing staring off into space like that? The rest of the conversation, and most importantly food, is over here!”

 

“Right! Ibuki’s sorry,” she replied, giving an uncharacteristically sheepish smile. She had really been out of it; she hadn’t even noticed the nachos arrive. Taking a glance back, the girl had already left. While she was disappointed, Ibuki still couldn’t help but feel optimistic. Whoever she was, Ibuki was really hoping she’d have a chance to see her again.

\---

Ibuki frowned a bit as she opened the door up to the dormitories. It was only ten, which was pretty early for her, but she had her most boring class first thing tomorrow, and she was going to need all the help she could get to stay awake for it. Still, she always hated being the first one to leave the hangout. Humming a tune to herself, she made her up to her floor, passing through the common area to the rooms.

 

Ibuki started the walk down the hallway, when all of a sudden her eyes got big. There was no mistaking that pastel pink dress, that long brown hair and that pretty face. Right beside her room was that girl she had seen at the main hall earlier, and she was fumbling for her keys

 

_ No way! That cutie actually lived next door to Ibuki all along?  _ A giddy smile crossed her face. Her thoughts bounced between thinking about how lucky she was to her again so soon, wondering why she was never at any of the dorm icebreakers earlier in the year, to disappointment as to how her sense for cute girls could have failed her so completely and utterly. That was so unlike her! She shook the thoughts off, though, knowing at the very least she  _ had _ to introduce herself. So she enthusiastically bounded down the hall, stopping right behind the seemingly oblivious girl. “Hi there!”

 

“AHH!” The girl let out a surprised yelp, holding her hand to her chest and turning around to face Ibuki. She wouldn’t even look at her, though, staring down at her feet instead.“I-I’m s-so sorry!”

 

“Huh?” Ibuki tilted her head. “What do you have to be sorry for? Ibuki just wanted to say hi!”

 

“W-well I u-u-usually come home late… and n-now you’ve seen me and f-felt like you had to talk to someone d-disgusting like me.” The girl winced, as though she was expecting Ibuki to hurt her. “So I-I’m sorry…”

 

“Nope! Ibuki  _ wanted _ to talk to you! Ibuki’s never seen you around, even though you’re her neighbor! “ She smiled warmly. “So hello from Ibuki Mioda!”

 

“Oh…” the girl’s face wore a look of genuine confusion, and Ibuki couldn’t figure out why. Still, she had actually made eye contact with Ibuki, which gave her a good look at those pretty brown eyes of hers.“Y-you actually wanted… to say hello?”

 

“Yup!” Ibuki chirped. She could feel her heart start thumping again as their conversation went on. “So what’s your name? Otherwise you’re gonna just be cute hallway girl, and I don’t think that’s your real name.”

 

She looked down again, and even in the hallway’s dim light Ibuki could see the girl’s cheeks turning red. “M-Mikan Tsumiki,” she said, a slight smile crossing her pink lips. “I-it’s nice to m-meet you… Ibuki…”

 

“Ibuki’s super happy to meet Mikan, too!” She grinned, bouncing a bit on her feet.  _ Oh geeze, she sounds cute too!  _ “So how come Ibuki’s never seen Mikan until now? Normally Ibuki can at least hear everyone.”

 

“I u-usually just try to be quiet… n-no one wants to listen to s-someone as gross as    
I am…”

 

It was Ibuki’s turn to look confused now. This was the second time she had said something really mean about herself in just a short while. Did she pick her nose in public or have some other really gross habit that creeped people out? “Well, Ibuki’s listening to you right now! So I mean you can’t be that gross. O-or gross at all! You’re not! Gross, I mean.” She giggled. “Seriously, people tell Ibuki she never pays attention, so if I’m paying attention that’s gotta be a good thing, right?”

 

That little smile returned to Mikan’s face. “I-I guess so… d-don’t feel like you have to, though. I’m sorry if I m-made you feel like you have to pay attention to me.”

 

“Don’t be!” She grinned. Suddenly, she was struck with the perfect idea. “Hey! The dining hall’s open another hour! Mikan should get a midnight snack with Ibuki!”

 

“Oh, um…” Mikan looked off to the side. As far as Ibuki was concerned, it was an improvement from staring at her feet. Progress! “I h-have an early class tomorrow, and I don’t want you to stay up t-too because of me.”

 

Ibuki paused. She had an early class too, and that had been the whole reason she ducked out early from drinks with the others. Still, she was feeling so energized and her heart was thumping so hard she doubted she could get to sleep early anyways. Besides, falling asleep during another lesson on time signatures wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. “Ibuki never gets tired! Plus she bets that Mikan works super hard at whatever she does, too. Ibuki’s like, 90% sure you deserve something nice!”

 

Mikan looked torn. “Um…”

 

“Ibuki’s treat? Mikan would make Ibuki super happy if she said yes...”

 

“O-okay… I guess one snack w-wouldn’t be so bad…”   
  
“YAHOO!” Ibuki shouted, jumping up into the air. She was so happy she was oblivious to one of her hallmates yelling at her to “shut the fuck up”. Grinning like a madwoman, she took Mikan by the hand. “Come on, let’s head over there!”

 

“O-oka-AH!” Mikan let out a surprised squeak as Ibuki started pulling her through the hall and down the stairs. It only took about a minute for them to get outside at the pace Ibuki was going.

 

“Come on, try to keep up, Mikan!” Ibuki said with a giggle.

 

“I-I’m trying! You’re m-moving a bit too, OOF!”

 

Ibuki whipped around as she felt Mikan suddenly jerk her hand away. Glancing downward, there was Mikan sprawled out on the ground, with the skirt of her dress having flown up above her waist. “Woah! A-are you all right?” Ibuki asked, feeling warmth rising to her cheeks.

 

“P-please h-help me!” Mikan whimpered. “T-this is so embarassing!”

 

“Oh, right!” Ibuki bent down to pick up Mikan, helping to brush her off once she was standing again. “S-sorry again about that. Ibuki just gets real excited sometimes.”

 

Mikan frowned and looked around nervously. “W-was anyone else a-around? That’d be e-even more embarrassing…”

 

“Don’t think so,” Ibuki replied. “If it helps, one time Ibuki had to go to the bathroom before a concert and then she ended up playing like the entire concert with her skirt tucked into her underwear! It was pretty embarrassing but it’s kinda funny now,” she chuckled. “So don’t feel bad or anything like that.”

 

She giggled slightly. Ibuki had to restrain herself from squealing at the sound of it. “That does make me feel a b-bit better…”

 

“Good!” Ibuki grinned. “So, dining hall? Slower this time?”

 

Mikan nodded, and the two of them walked the rest of the way there.

\--

“Here we go!” Ibuki skipped over to the table with two plates full of cakes, cookies, and sweets. “Ibuki didn’t know what you liked, so Ibuki got a little bit of everything!” She smiled warmly, grabbing a seat across from Mikan.

 

Mikan just looked overwhelmed as she looked at all the snacks. “Y-you got all this for me? I’m s-so sorry! Y-you shouldn’t have g-gotten so much for m-me… I d-don’t deserve to have all these sweets.”

 

“You sure say you’re sorry a lot,” Ibuki replied through a mouthful of cookie, already digging in. “Just eat what you want! Ibuki can take care of the rest.”

 

“A-are you sure? That m-much sugar after dark can disrupt your sleep…”

 

“Didn’t Ibuki already tell you she never gets tired?”

 

“O-okay…” Mikan nodded and meekly reached for a cream puff. “Thank you… i-it’s not often people are this n-nice to me.”

 

“Lame!” Ibuki frowned. “They totally should be. Because you seem like, crazy nice! So what do you do here?” She asked, quickly changing the topic.

 

“I’m a nursing student…” Mikan responded, nibbling away at her cream puff.

 

“Oh wow, really?” Ibuki’s eyes got big. “That’s so cool! What kind of stuff do you do?”

 

Mikan looked surprised. “You actually want to know… more about me?”

 

“Uh, yeah!” Ibuki giggled. “Ibuki wanted to know more, so that’s why she asked you to get a snack!”

 

Mikan blushed and smiled a little bit, and Ibuki could feel her heart thumping harder. “Well, I h-have to learn about how to keep r-records and write things down, and then a bit about wellness, nutrition, and some medicine. Then I t-take a class anatomy and how the body works. That’s my favorite subject,” she continued, her smile getting a little bit bigger. “F-for me to do a good job of helping people, I need to learn what’s wrong and h-how I can help. I would never want to do the wrong thing and make things worse. I also volunteer at the hospital every Sunday. I r-really hope I can do my practicum there one day.”

 

“Practicum?” Ibuki asked, swallowing the cake that she was chewing on.

 

“I-it’s where you practice nursing with someone who’s already trained,” Mikan explained, finishing her cream puff and picking up a cupcake. “I’ve always wanted to do it… I even helped the school nurse at lunch when I was in high school. M-most kids didn’t want to spend time with me then anyways…”

 

_ Quick, Ibuki! Don’t let her feel bad!  _ “So did you see anything weird and gross? Ibuki bets you’ve seen all kind of stuff!”

 

Mikan looked up, her lip quivering. “W-weird and g-g-gross? D-do you mean.. me?”

 

Ibuki looked nervous. “Gah! Ibuki did  _ not _ mean you! She meant like weird injuries and stuff! Like that time Ibuki broke her finger and it bent all funny!”

 

“O-oh… Well, not yet. N-not really, anyways.” She looked down. “W-what kind of classes do you take here?”

 

“Muuuuusic!” Ibuki replied in an eager, sing-song voice. “Ibuki’s played any instrument she could get her hands on since she was little, played in all kinds of bands, and thought taking music classes could help her get to the next level!” Her smile faded somewhat. “It turns out not really, but it’s still fun to perform?”

 

“Y-you don’t like your classes?”

 

“They’re just boring!” She pouted a bit for emphasis. “Ibuki already knows time signatures, classical music, scales, and all that stuff! Ibuki wants something different, something exciting!” She giggled. “I guess that just means I need to create it!”

 

Mikan licked a bit of the icing off of the cupcake. “You make your own music?”

 

“Uh huh! Ibuki’s in a band right now! We’re still working on practicing, and Ibuki still has to write some songs, but once we do?” She leapt up on top of her chair and threw up the horns. “We’ll only be making the coolest new sounds ever! Sounds like no one’s ever heard before!”

 

“Oh wow…” Mikan blushed again. “That sounds really exciting…”

 

“You know it!” Ibuki replied, slipping back down into her seat and devouring a cupcake in a single bite. “Mikan also has to be there when Ibuki’s band has their first show?”

 

“A-are you sure? I d-don’t think I’m much of a concert person. I’ll p-probably just bring everyone down,” 

 

“No way!” Ibuki insisted. “Ibuki would be like, so happy if you could come! If I was writing a song about it, I’d call it ‘Inviting a Total Cutie to A Rock Show’!”

 

Mikan looked like she was about to fall out of her chair. “C-cutie?! I um… only… um… AHH! I’m sorry! I d-don’t know how to respond and I’m m-m-making it really uncomfortable! I’m just the w-worst!” She proceeded to bury her face in her hands, whimpering.

 

“”Woah, hey! Ibuki just got really carried away!” She grinned a bit nervously. “Ibuki just thinks you’re really cool!” She reached out to grab on to Mikan’s hand. “I promise I’m being like, totally honest!”

 

Mikan took a little while, but looked back up at Ibuki. “You… you really mean that…”

 

Ibuki nodded enthusiastically.

 

Now, a full, genuine smile flashed across Mikan’s lips. Ibuki thought her heart was going to explode from how beautiful the sight was. “Thank you… that’s so nice of you. You’re really nice.”

 

It was Ibuki’s turn to blush now as she grinned dopily at Mikan for a while. She was absolutely delighted that she seemed to have broken through a little bit; Mikan seemed a lot more relaxed than she had been, and the two spent a few minutes just smiling at each other and munching on their snacks. It wasn’t like Ibuki to be so quiet about, well, anything, but for now it wasn’t so bad. Before too long, though, the two of them had cleaned their plates.

 

“Doesn’t Ibuki have the best ideas?” She beamed as she stacked up the plates.

 

Mikan nodded. “I-if it’s not too much trouble… I’d really like it if we could t-talk again.”

 

“Of course we can!” Ibuki practically leapt out of her seat with joy. “Ibuki will walk you back to your place, and then we can talk about the next time we hang out! Should be easy since we’re neighbors!”

 

“Y-yeah, that’s right,” Mikan smiled.

 

Ibuki giggled. If the next time was as good as their little chat tonight, she’d have a lot to look forward to.


	2. Why Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikan's come to greatly enjoy her budding friendship with Ibuki. When Ibuki asks for something more, though, Mikan confronts her insecurities.

“MOVE IT ALREADY, PIGSHIT!”

Mikan turned around, immediately recognizing the short stature and blond pigtails of the girl behind her; they passed by each other getting to class every other day, and she never missed the opportunity to say something cruel.

“Um, I-I’m sorry…” Mikan replied, clutching her books to her chest. “I c-can try to go a bit f-faster if you want…”

“Then stop standing there and go, you stupid, ugly bitch!” She spat, pushing past her. Mikan stumbled back. Though she tried her best to keep her footing, she soon ended up spread-eagle on the ground. Turning red, she desperately tried to ignore the stares of the other students as she got to her feet and picked up her books. She hated when people were mean to her, but she was used to it. She pretty much had to be. She was about the most obnoxious, worthless, disgusting person there was; could she really blame anyone for not putting up with her?

She moved as quickly as she could to get out of the hallway and outside. At least there she had less of a chance of running into someone like the clumsy idiot that she was. Keeping a death grip on her books, she moved as quietly as she could through the other students and made her way to the dining hall. She was done classes for the day, and was fairly certain she didn’t have any other commitments, so she didn’t have to be out any longer Just a bit further, Mikan. Just be quiet and keep going…

When she finally reached her goal, she let out a sigh of relief. It was still a good ways until the dinner rush, so there were plenty of empty tables left for her. Going up to the cashier to pay for a cup of green tea, she grabbed one of the seats and took a sip, letting herself relax slightly. These moments weren’t quite as calming as when she could be in her dorm and avoid others altogether, but it was still nice to have a cup of tea and not have to worry about getting on anyone’s bad side.

She sat there for about twenty minutes, emptying her mind of thoughts and her cup of tea before getting up to get a refill. Having calmed down from the incident in the hallway, she thought it was a good chance to review some of her notes from her classes. She was pretty comfortable with anatomy, as she had studied it in her spare time throughout high school, but it never hurt to be prepared. Flipping open her textbook to the section of brain biology, she started rereading the parts she highlighted, getting through a good chunk of the chapter before a familiar voice shattered the quiet.

“Seriously uncool, Mikan!”

Nearly jumping out of her seat, Mikan looked up to find Ibuki making her way over to the table, looking annoyed. “W-what did I d-d-do?!”

“Seriously? You were supposed to come to Ibuki’s room to hang out like, half an hour ago! Ibuki got worried and started looking for you, and you were here all along!”

“AHH!” Suddenly it came back to Mikan; the two of them did have plans to spend some time together, and she had completely forgotten about it. Ibuki was only the nicest and prettiest girl Mikan had met here, and she was already making a mess of things. “I-I’m so s-sorry!” Mikan whimpered, feeling like dirt. “I’m s-sorry I’m so stupid and f-f-forgetful and I m-made you w-worry, and-”

“Woah!” Ibuki’s annoyed expression was replaced with worry, and she sat down next to Mikan. “Mikan’s totally not stupid! Ibuki just got worried since you’re usually on time and stuff!”

Mikan looked down at her teacup. “I’m really, really, r-really s-sorry…”

“Ibuki should be sorry for getting carried away! She didn’t want to make you upset,” she replied. “Besides, Ibuki’s here now, right? So it all worked out!”

Mikan took a deep breath, and looked up at Ibuki. She was wearing the same big grin as always. It was hard to feel sad or sorry for yourself when you were around it. The past few weeks it had become a common sight for Mikan, but she never got sick of it. “I g-guess you’re right.”

“Woo! Ibuki’s right again!”

Mikan couldn’t help but giggle. Ibuki was always just bursting with positive energy.

“So, while Ibuki’s on a being right streak, finding you here and being right about stuff, she wants to ask you something she planned to ask you in her dorm tonight.”

Mikan went back to being nervous. Oh no… did I do something to annoy her? Was I being weird? I was being so weird and now she doesn’t want anything to do with me. I need to tell her I’m sorry. I’m so sorry… “W-what is it?”

Ibuki looked as though she wanted to speak, but was struck unusually quiet. Her usual smile remained on her face, but her cheeks just got redder and redder.

“I-Ibuki? Are you okay? Should I check i-if you’re running a fever?”

“No way!” She replied, still blushing, her expression unchanged. “This is just way harder than I thought it would be!”

Mikan frowned, and felt herself tense up even more. The longer that Ibuki tpok to ask the question, the worse she felt. She took the awkward silence to brace herself for being told once again how completely worthless she was.

“So, y-y’know how for weeks we’ve been hanging out like friends, riiiiight?” Ibuki giggled nervously. 

Mikan nodded anxiously.

“I was thinking maybe hanging out n-not quite as friends-”

“I’M SORRY!” Mikan blurted out. She was prepared for Ibuki to say something like that, but when the reality was slapping her in the face, it hurt worse than she imagined. Just when it seemed like she was making a friend, it was all gone. Why was she so stupid and off-putting? “I’m s-s-so sorry for whatever I did! P-please forgive m-me! I’ll-”

“Wait, Mikan!” Ibuki cut in. “Ibuki didn’t mean it like that! Ibuki meant like, a date!”

It took a while for Mikan to process what she just heard. When she finally did, the anxiety and self-hatred subsided, replaced with confusion. She sat there dumbfounded, making a high pitched sound of some kind with her mouth hanging open. She liked Ibuki a lot; everything about her just made Mikan feel warm and happy inside. Still, she didn’t even know Ibuki liked girls that way! Sure, she called her a cutie a lot, but that was just something other girls did to be friendly, right? 

On top of that, it was already hard for Mikan to believe that Ibuki wanted to be nice to her. To think that someone as nice and pretty as Ibuki actually liked her more than that… how? How was something like that even possible? 

“...Ibuki went too far, didn’t she?”

Mikan blinked. “N-no! I-I’m sorry, but… m-me? B-but I’m-”

“Only the sweetest, cutest cutie ever!” Ibuki interrupted once more, her voice getting even louder than usual. “If you don’t want to, Ibuki hopes we can still stay friends, but she’d be really happy with-”

“Yes!” Mikan exclaimed, interrupting Ibuki for a change. She knew she had to say something fast, or that awful voice in the back of her head would just undermine her. She had no idea what she was going to do on that date, or why Ibuki wanted to date her, but even she wasn’t enough of an idiot to let this chance slip away.

“WOOOOOOO!!!” Ibuki threw her head back and put her arms up in the air in a triumphant gesture. “So Ibuki will take you to see a movie on Saturday? She’ll come by your dorm at six and then we’ll have the best date ever?”

Mikan nodded. “O-okay… I’m… I’m really looking forward to it!” It was tough to get the words out, but she really did mean it.

Ibuki cheered again, and stood up. “Ibuki’s gonna get some snacks to celebrate! For both of us!”

Mikan giggled. There’d always be time later tonight to review her notes.  
\---  
Saturday evening came much faster than Mikan expected, and she was panicking. She had tripped and fallen no less than three times as she was trying on outfits, ending up in positions that made her extremely grateful that she was just in her dorm. Ultimately settling on a light blue skirt and a pink blouse, she got dressed and did her best to fix her hair in the mirror. Though she rarely ever wore makeup nowadays, she put on a bit of pink lip gloss, since it was a special occasion. Slipping on a white cardigan, she examined herself. She looked… well, as presentable as someone like her could ever hope to look.

The sound of knocking quickly filled the room, followed by a slightly muffled voice. “Mikaaaan, are you ready?!”

Mikan gulped. She was certain that something horrible was going to happen. She’d say something wrong, Ibuki would realize in the middle of everything just who she asked out on a date, and then she’d want to leave. Still, she had told Ibuki she’d go, and cancelling at this point would be even worse than saying something stupid on the date. So, doing her best to steady her shaking, she walked over to open the door.

When she saw Ibuki, Mikan felt her palms start to sweat and heart go even faster than it it usually did. It wasn’t like she looked that different than the other times Mikan had seen her before. She still wore the same combination of a short skirt, spiky jewelry, and ripped stockings. Still wore the same dark makeup. Still had the same wild, colorful hair. Even that big goofy grin looked the same as it always did. The fact that her smile had that same sincerity, even though it was a date, though? Like she hadn’t made some horrible mistake? That made Mikan weak in the knees.

Mikan could barely keep eye contact, but thought she should probably say something. “Y-y-you look r-really pretty, Ibuki…” 

“Speak for yourself, cutie! Ibuki’s took one look at you and she was all like WOOOAAAH!” She giggled, bouncing on her feet a bit. “So! Less standing around, more dating! Let’s go!”

Before Mikan could even open her mouth to reply, Ibuki had already started down the hall. Blushing, she tried her best to keep up with her, managing to get caught up by the time they had gotten outside. As they walked, Ibuki’s mouth was going about a mile a minute, talking about bands that she knew nothing about, the complexities of musical performance, or how she would make her classes more interesting. Truthfully, it all went over Mikan’s head. She never had much of a head for music beyond knowing a few artists that she liked. She was more interested in seeing Ibuki’s pink eyes light up with excitement as she talked about what she was so passionate about. It made her look even prettier somehow, which left Mikan wondering how it was even possible.

She stayed fairly quiet on her end, though, letting Ibuki do most of the talking and only cutting in to ask her to go on or tell her more. She was still amazed she was even out with Ibuki, and Mikan knew trying to hold up her end of a conversation wasn’t going to work out well until she had a chance to relax and get more comfortable. There were things she wanted to tell Ibuki about and talk to her about… but for today she was happy to be a listener. 

It had seemed like barely any time at all had passed when they finished their walk to the theater. The air conditioning was blasting inside, making Mikan shiver a bit. Ibuki, on the other hand, didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. “Ibuki’s sooo excited! She’s been looking forward to this move for months now! She even got the tickets last week!”

“L-last week?” Mikan blushed. “You’ve p-planned this for that long?”

“Hell yes!” she chirped, getting in line for snacks.

“W-wow…”

The line moved fairly quickly, and after getting a big bag of popcorn, Ibuki led the way to the screening. Strangely enough, though, while the theater was busy, it seemed like they were the only ones here for the movie. Mikan supposed it made sense; it seemed Ibuki had a taste for more bizarre, obscure things. Taking two seats at the back, they started in on the popcorn as the movie started. Mikan took one kernel at a time, nibbling away slowly, while Ibuki took big handfuls, practically swallowing them whole. Mikan giggled a bit at the sight of it.

“So! How’s Mikan doing?” Even during the movie and with a mouthful of popcorn Ibuki was as loud and out there as usual, taking full advantage of the fact that the two of them had the theater to themselves.

“A-a little bit cold, actually…” she whispered back. Before she could even blink, Ibuki had draped her leather jacket over her shoulders. Almost instinctively, Mikan pulled it tight around herself, looking like she was making a cocoon. She closed her eyes and breathed in, the scents of incense and lilac perfume mingling with hints of alcohol, smoke, and sweat. While none of those scents would do anything for Mikan on their own, their combination was so uniquely Ibuki, and it made her feel as warm as the jacket itself. Leaning back in her seat, she almost began to relax.

She heard a giggle from beside her. “Wow, Ibuki didn’t even know her jacket was that good!”

Mikan gulped. “W-what?”

“Mikan looks all happy in Ibuki’s jacket and it’s like so cute I could squeal!”

Mikan didn’t even want to think about how much she was blushing, closing her eyes and slipping down in her seat. “I-I’m sorry! I-I didn’t m-mean to distract from the m-movie and m-make you pay attention to me…”

“Hey, you’re supposed to pay more attention to the cute part! And cuties are always welcome to distract Ibuki anytime.”

Mikan smiled, but remained anxious and a bit bewildered. Ibuki was so loud and genuine that it was nearly impossible to not know what she thought about you. If she really thought Mikan was cute, she must have meant it. But… why? Mikan knew she was ugly, clumsy, and annoying. Ibuki was so nice, and fun, and energetic, and pretty… just what could Ibuki possibly see in trash like her? By the end of their date she’d surely realize just how far Mikan was below her, and then never speak to her again. Not that she could blame Ibuki at all for that.

Her thoughts of self-loathing were interrupted by an arm around her shoulder. Mikan immediately froze up, and took a deep breath as though she were ready to scream. Someone must have snuck into the theater and was looking to rob them, kidnap them, or worse! Then, in the corner of her eye, she noticed the studded bracelet and black nail polish on the hand draped over her shoulder. Glancing to the other side, she saw that it definitely was Ibuki. A whole new wave of confusion and self-hatred came over her.

She probably saw you were nervous and felt like she had to do something so you wouldn’t ruin everything.

She just pities you.

She’s disgusted to be touching you, but you just had to guilt her into it.

What could she see in a pig like you?

However, something stopped Mikan from giving into those thoughts. Maybe it was the warmth. Maybe Ibuki was deep down finally starting to convince her that she was sincere. Maybe she was just tired of going along with that voice. Whatever it was, Mikan did her best to dull the voice, and let herself lean into Ibuki. Not too much, as she didn’t want to be presumptuous, but she let her head rest lightly on Ibuki’s shoulder. To Mikan’s delighted surprise, Ibuki didn’t pull away, either. She kept her arm around Mikan, like she actually wanted her around. While she still had her doubts, it felt so nice, and that was enough for Mikan to soothe herself for now as she took in the movie.

The film was… interesting? There was something of a plot that Mikan was able to follow, but for the most part it resembled a fever dream, with characters routinely slipping into strange and surreal situations. Mikan didn’t entirely get it, and she wasn’t entirely sure Ibuki understood it either. Still, she had a big grin on at the end of the movie, so it must have been good if you enjoyed that sort of thing?

“Ibuki is totally blown away!” She leapt out of her seat as the credits started rolling. “Do you know anyone who’s good with symbolism and all that other movie stuff? Because Ibuki wants to know more about it! Or anything about it, really!”

Mikan giggled. If anyone could be that excited and happy about something without understanding a bit of it, it was Ibuki. “I don’t...but m-maybe you could w-write a song about what you thought the movie was trying to say?”

Ibuki stopped, and just stared at Mikan. She looked away. Oh no… I said something wrong didn’t I… she probably thinks I’m making fun of her songwriting and now she hat-

“THAT’S THE BEST IDEA EVER!” Ibuki shouted. Mikan let out a squeak as her date practically lifted her out of her seat, squeezing her with a tight hug. “Ibuki’s gonna be up like, all night working on it! She’ll even give you a songwriting credit! Well, a little one, but still!”

Mikan broke out into a big, genuine smile. “Really?”

“Yeah! You’re an inspiration!” Ibuki chirped. “Anyways, we should go for a walk somewhere. Ibuki likes movies but she’s been sitting around waaaayyyy too long.”

“Okay,” Mikan replied softly, picking up all of the garbage they left behind (as well as some they didn’t). She was more than happy for the night to go on a little bit longer. It had been a long time since she ever felt like that, and she wanted to enjoy every bit of it. Throwing everything away on the way out of the theater, she stepped out into the warm night air with Ibuki. It was almost a little bit too warm for the jacket, even, but she kept it around her like it was a badge of honor. She was grateful that Ibuki hadn’t asked for it back, and judging by the look she kept giving her, Mikan was pretty sure she was okay to keep wearing it.

“So who does Mikan like to hang out with?”

She giggled. “W-well, you…”

“Ibuki meant other than her, though,” she clarified with a smile.

Mikan cringed a bit at the question. She knew Ibuki was just trying to be friendly, but it wasn’t her favorite topic. “W-well, no one, really…”

“Come oooooonnnn…” Ibuki teased, skipping ahead of Mikan and turning around to face her. “You’ve probably got all kinds of people who want to spend time with you! Ibuki’s probably just super lucky to get the chance to see you at all!”

Mikan sighed, and looked away. “I d-don’t have any friends here… no one w-wants to spend any time with m-me. It’s probably b-because I’m so disgusting and annoying…”

The goofy grin faded from Ibuki’s face. She looked genuinely sad for Mikan. “Seriously? No one?”

Mikan just shook her head, feeling too pathetic to even reply to Ibuki. Almost right away, though, she felt Ibuki’s fingers under her chin, tilting her head up. She was surprised such a gentle touch came from her.

“Hey, Ibuki’s got the perfect idea! Every Thursday, Ibuki goes to the lounge to hang out with the friends she made at orientation! It’s a lot of just sitting around, but they’re all super nice! Ibuki’s inviting you for next Thursday, so now you have more friends!” The grin returned to Ibuki’s face. “So is Mikan going to come?”

Mikan thought that she was going to burst into tears at any moment. She couldn’t even remember if anyone had ever been this nice to her… “Y-you w-want me there? Y-you’d d-do that… for me?”

“Yeah, Ibuki totally would!”

Mikan smiled, trying hard to keep her lip from trembling.. “O-okay then…”

“YEEEAH!” Ibuki suddenly pulled Mikan into another tight hug. She still wasn’t entirely used to how intense Ibuki could be, even if it really was kind of nice. “They’re going to think you’re just the coolest! Sonia especially! She’s into serial killers, so she’ll love any gross medical stuff you can talk about.” Ibuki rambled on, moving back beside Mikan and continuing their walk. Mikan smiled and nodded as she went on describing all her friends, trying not to think too much about how her heart fluttered when her hand got close to Ibuki’s.

Ibuki would lead Mikan to one of the island’s more secluded beaches. It was a spot where you could see the waves of the ocean illuminated by moonlight, and the stars in the clear night sky. Giggling, Ibuki ran off ahead, kicking off her shoes. “Come on Mikan! Let’s get a spot close to the water!”

Smiling and nodding, Mikan carefully removed her shoes and put her socks away before walking over to where Ibuki had sat down on the beach. Smoothing out her skirt, she took a seat next to Ibuki, looking out at the water. “Wow… it’s so beautiful…”

“Like I tell you, Ibuki’s full of great ideas!”

Mikan smiled. Ibuki’s silver, magenta, and blue streaks in her hair looked gorgeous in the moonlight. So did everything about her really.

“When Ibuki sees the water like this, it’s just soooo cool all of the different things it can do, you know? It can be so nice and quiet and soft, and then all of sudden it can be all CRASH! SPLOOSH! WHOOSH!” She gestured with her hands for added emphasis. “Some things stay the same, but it’s kinda different every time. It’s always changing and doing something new, just like Ibuki!” She turned to Mikan with a big smile. “What do you think?”

“I-I like what you said…” Mikan giggled a bit. “I, um… guess I see something peaceful... I want to t-try to look after people and m-make them feel like that. W-when I do that, when I feel needed, it makes me feel a little peaceful t-too.”

As she finished speaking, Mikan could feel the warmth of Ibuki’s hand as she held on to hers. She could also feel her heart flutter as Ibuki entwined their fingers together. Her breathing got faster as it sunk in that she was actually holding hands with Ibuki Mioda. Mikan tightened her grip, as though the moment was on the verge of slipping away if she didn’t hold on tight. From there, the two of them shared a quiet moment together looking out into the ocean, taking in the sight of moonlit waves and the other’s presence.

It was some time later when the silence was finally broken. “Ibuki really, really likes you…” the words were soft in a way Mikan almost never heard from her, but that just made them even more of a treat to listen to. She felt herself blush as Ibuki looked at her with deep affection in her eyes. “Ibuki thought… well, since she likes you so much and tonight was so awesome… maybe you’d want to be her girlfriend?”

It was strange. At first glance, Mikan couldn’t think of anyone more opposite to her than Ibuki. The way she dressed, the way she talked, the way she acted was just so loud, energetic, and demanding of attention. Mikan was meek, anxious, and did her best to avoid the spotlight at all costs. Where Ibuki seemed so completely confident in everything that she did, Mikan often found herself completely paralyzed with self-loathing. Despite all that, though, Mikan truly appreciated how Ibuki always wanted to brighten everyone’s day, even someone as down on herself as she was. Ibuki actually made her feel comfortable, and for someone who had never been truly comfortable, that meant a lot.

So even though the voice in the back of her head was practically screaming that it was a trick, that she didn’t deserve it, Mikan knew there was only one answer she could give. “I’d… I’d really like that…” Mikan replied softly, clasping onto Ibuki’s hand with both of hers, now. She smiled as she looked into her eyes, sighing happily.

“YAAAAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Ibuki let out a cry of joy that echoed out into the night, before yanking Mikan towards her in a passionate kiss. Though it startled her at first, it didn’t take long for Mikan to close her eyes and melt into it. Everything about it, from soft, warm lips, to the sensation of metal piercings against her skin, to the way Ibuki’s arms felt like they would never let her go was just so completely right. Perfectly content to stay in the kiss for as long as Ibuki would allow, the two of them were left breathless when the kiss finally ended a while later. Ibuki giggled joyfully, and Mikan couldn’t help but join in.

“That was awesome, Mikan!” Ibuki was absolutely beaming. “Ibuki wants another! Well, two more. Better make it three. Or four! Okay, fi-”

Mikan let herself take the initiative this time, and moved in to kiss Ibuki. Sure enough, it was every bit as soft, warm, and tender as the first one. At this rate, she thought five more might just overwhelm her completely.

She was certainly willing to try, though. Her girlfriend was worth it.


	3. Rough Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ibuki brings Mikan to meet her friends. After a seemingly good evening together, though, Ibuki gets a glimpse of how deep Mikan's hurt goes.

Ibuki was on her second lap around the campus. It was enough for even her to start breaking a sweat. If someone listened closely, they might even see that she was panting a little bit. Not only did she keep running, though, she grinned and giggled the entire time. Truthfully, she had been smiling almost nonstop for days now.

 

“W-wait, Ibuki…” Hajime panted, drenched in sweat and lagging behind her by a few feet. “I can’t… keep up…”

 

Without missing a beat, Ibuki whipped around and started jogging backwards. “Come ooooooon, Hajime! You can’t drum or do cool stage moves if you’re not in shape! Besides Ibuki’s already going easy on you! Since she’s feeling nice though, maybe we can take a break after this lap.”

 

“How… much further…?”

 

“Like, a minute if you get moving!” Without waiting for Hajime’s response, she turned around and upped her pace. Three minutes later, the two of them had arrived at the quad, where they had started their laps. “See? That wasn’t so bad, was it, Hajime?”

 

“So thirsty…” he gasped, grabbing his water bottle and emptying it in almost a single drink. “How are you even... able to do that... without getting tired?”

 

Ibuki giggled. “You don’t really think it’s that hard, do you Hajime?”

 

“Nevermind…”

 

Feeling rather pleased with herself, she took a seat on the bench and had a drink from her own bottle. “Really though, you’re doing good! When Ibuki tried to get Kazuichi and Chiaki to run with her, he fainted at the end and she just took a nap on the bench! That’s why Ibuki’s so glad you’re in her band with her.”

 

“Thanks… I guess…” Hajime sat down beside her, taking a few moments to catch his breath. “You seem like you enjoy this a lot.”

 

“Well, just running isn’t that exciting on its own, but Ibuki needs to do it to ensure she’s in tip top shape for when we have our first concert. Plus she likes hanging out with Hajime!”

 

Hajime smiled a bit. “Still, you seem… smiley? Smilier than usual, anyways.”

 

“Oh?” Ibuki’s grin got even wider. “That’s right, Ibuki hasn’t told you the awesomely good news just yet.”

 

“You haven’t. Then again, the first thing you said to me was that we were doing laps around campus, and didn’t explain anything beyond that.”

 

“Ooops! Well, Ibuki’s sorry she let something so incredibly important slide! So a few weeks ago when we were at the lounge, Ibuki got distracted by seriously the cutest girl ever!”

 

Hajime gave Ibuki a weird look. “But you think just about everyone is cute. Byakuya, Sonia, Mahiru, me…”

 

She giggled. “And you all totally are, but this girl was like next level, heart explodingly cute! Anyways, Ibuki found out she lives next door to her, and got to know her. She’s soooo nice, and sweet!” She paused to let out a happy sigh. Even thinking about Mikan was enough to get Ibuki’s heart going crazy. “So a few days ago, Ibuki asked her on a date, and it was so awesome, and now she’s Ibuki’s girlfriend and she’s like, crazy, stupid happy!”

 

Hajime just looked at Ibuki for a moment. “Wow… that’s… it’s good! I’m happy for you! I’m just surprised you waited so long to say anything.”

 

Ibuki smiled sheepishly. “Well, once Ibuki talked to her she didn’t wanna jynx it or anything like that. She wanted to wait until things were for sure good!”

 

Hajime nodded. “Makes sense, even if it’s a bit unlike you. So, are we going to get a chance to meet this girl?”

 

“Hell yes! She’s coming with Ibuki to the lounge on Thursday!” Ibuki stopped herself after that announcement though. “Well, actually…”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Don’t get Ibuki wrong! She’s seriously the best! She just…” Ibuki sighed, the smile finally fading from her lips. “She’s pretty shy and sometimes she gets worried about stuff and says really mean things about herself. It makes no sense to Ibuki, but it still happens.”

 

“So why are you telling me this?”

 

“Because Ibuki doesn’t want you or any of the others to think she’s like, bad weird or anything like that if something happens. She wants Mikan to have a good time and be friends with everyone, because she really deserves to have some nice things happen for her! Just… promise Ibuki you’ll be nice and won’t get creeped out or anything if she gets upset?”

 

“Um, sure?” Hajime scratched his head. “I’ve never actually met this Mikan, so I don’t have any idea how she actually gets, but it seems like she matters a lot to you. I promise I won’t be hard on her if she starts getting down on herself.”

The smile came back on Ibuki’s face as she threw her arms around Hajime. “Thanks, Hajime! Ibuki knows what it’s like when people don’t get you, and are just like ‘ugh, she’s weird! Let’s be mean and tell her to go away!’” She made sure to use an intentionally dopey voice for the people in question. “Ibuki thinks that’s one of the reasons she likes Mikan so much! She doesn’t get annoyed when Ibuki talks a lot or talks about different things really fast. She even acts like it’s kind of cool! It makes Ibuki feel really appreciated.”

 

“It’s good that she makes you so happy,” Hajime said with a smile. “I wish things were going that well for me.”

 

“Really? Don’t tell Ibuki that creepy guy with the white hair is still following you around…”

 

Hajime just sighed in response. “Maybe I can tell you more about it over a drink?” He looked over to the quad.

 

“Not so fast Hajime!” Ibuki sprang off of the bench. “We still have one more lap to do! That was just a break!”

 

“You’re kidding me!” Hajime groaned.

 

“Ibuki doesn’t kid about getting into performance shape! Besides, she’s just starting to feel energized!” She started hopping in place, as if she were trying to prove it. “Come on, it’ll be done before you know it!”

 

Jogging backwards until she was sure Hajime was coming along, Ibuki took off for the rest of her lap. Thursday couldn’t come soon enough.

\---

Ibuki stood outside the lecture theater, trying and failing to be quiet and still. Just how long did nursing classes run, anyways? After a few more minutes of fidgeting and letting out the occasional complaint, the first students started making their way out. Ibuki watched the entrance like a hawk, waiting for her prey. For a while, she was starting to think that she had gotten the wrong classroom. 

 

Then, well behind the others, came Mikan.

 

“MIKAAAAAN!” Wasting no time whatsoever, Ibuki leapt at her, holding onto a squealing Mikan tightly as the two of them fell down to the ground. She immediately started planting kisses all over her face. “Ibuki missed you so much! She hasn’t seen you at all since last night, and not enough Mikan is like not enough cowbell. Totally uncool!”

 

Mikan was blushing so hard Ibuki thought she was going to faint, but she also had that adorable smile on her face. “I’m happy to see y-you too, Ibuki.”

 

Giving her one last big kiss on the cheek, Ibuki hugged her close. “So, did you do any cool stuff in classes today?”

 

“Um…” Mikan looked up nervously as a few annoyed-looking students walked around them. “Maybe we should stand up?”

 

“Oh! Right!” Ibuki giggled as she got to her feet, holding out her hand to help Mikan up as well. “Floors are kinda gross, anyways.”

 

“I-it is a lot of bacteria…” Mikan smiled a bit. “That’s, um, kind of related to what w-we learned about in class today… about the immune system, bacterial infections, and antibiotics. Did you know that overuse of antibiotics can actually lead to drug-resistant bacteria, which makes outbreaks harder to prevent and treat? It’s why you shouldn’t always take them unless your doctor says it’s necessary!” Mikan’s smile got a bit bigger as she started talking more. “A good nurse can help look after someone when they’re fighting off an infection on their own, and give an appropriate dose if needed.”

 

Ibuki blinked. “That sounded really smart! It’s a good thing Ibuki has such a good nurse if she ever gets sick!”

 

“You’d really l-let me look after you?”

 

Ibuki giggled again. “Yeah! You’re my super smart adorable nurse girlfriend!” Actually saying the girlfriend word made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. She’d have to find more excuses to use it.

 

“Oh… w-well thank you! I’d never want you to be sick, but I’d l-love to look after you, Ibuki.”’

 

“Awesome!” Ibuki grinned and checked her phone. “Woah, I think we’re supposed to be at the lounge in like, three minutes. Ready to go?”

 

“Um, sure. Are y-you sure-”   
  


“REALLY sure!” Ibuki insisted, already heading for the door. “Come on! Ibuki wants all her friends to see how cool you are!” Looking behind her as she went, Ibuki could see that Mikan was following her. Still, she seemed a bit more anxious than usual.  _ She probably just needs to say hi to everyone… plus Ibuki’s gonna be right there with her! _ Slowing her pace, she took Mikan’s hand in her own, kissing it before entwining their fingers.

 

Mikan remained silent, her blush and slight smile saying more than enough.

\---

Ibuki was impressed they were only about five minutes late making it to the lounge. It was a pretty full crowd, too. Hajime, Sonia, Kazuichi, and Akane were all there at the table.  Ibuki didn’t waste any time as she loudly announced her presence. “Hey everyone! Ibuki’s here, and she’s got someone super important for all of you to meet!” As soon as everyone’s eyes were on her, she grinned. “This is Mikan Tsumiki! She’s crazy smart, crazy adorable, and she’s my girlfriend!”

 

Blushing, and peeking out from behind Ibuki, Mikan gave a small wave. “H-hi… it’s nice to m-meet you all…”

 

There was a moment of silence after the rather… interesting introduction. Kazuichi and Hajime exchanged awkward looks. Akane grinned, and waved back. “Hey, right on Ibuki! Nice to meetcha, Mikan. Name’s Akane Owari!”

 

Getting up from the booth, Sonia curtsied. “A pleasure. I am Sonia Nevermind. I look forward to making your acquaintance!”

 

Kazuichi was gazing dreamily at Sonia for a moment before snapping out of it. “Hey! I’m Kazuichi Soda! I actually go to the trade school around here, but hang out here anyways.”

 

“I’m Hajime Hinata, it’s nice to meet you,” he greeted, nodding in her direction.

 

“Come oooon, Hajime! You’re not going to tell her you’re the drummer in our band?”

 

“Do we actually qualify as a band? We haven’t even had a single practice. We haven’t even decided on a name!”

 

“Huh! You’re right! Just give Ibuki a bit, and she’ll think of something good!” Ibuki sat down in the booth, throwing her arm around Mikan. She giggled a bit as Mikan rested her head on her shoulder. The waitress came by with a pitcher of beer and a few glasses, Sonia proceeding to pour everyone a glass.

 

“U-um… excuse me…” Mikan’s voice could barely be heard above the usual sounds of the lounge. “C-could I j-just have water, please?”

 

“Huh?” Akane raised an eyebrow. “You don’t like beer?”

 

“I d-d-don’t really drink…” Mikan frowned. “I’m s-sorry! I d-didn’t mean to m-make trouble!”

 

“Wha?” Kazuichi scratched his head. “Who said you were making trouble?”

 

Sonia smiled gently. “It is truly no problem. We’ll simply ask for a water when our server returns.”

 

“O-okay…” Mikan nodded.

 

Ibuki gave her a bit of a squeeze. “So Mikan’s in a bunch of nurse classes!”

 

“Oh” Sonia looked over to Mikan. “That sounds fascinating!”

 

“Think I could get you to help patch Nekomaru and I up when we spar?” Akane grinned and took a big drink from her pint glass. “Gets pretty intense sometimes. I know he’s busted me open once or twice.”

 

Mikan smiled timidly. “W-well the best c-cure is prevention… m-maybe you should a-avoid him if you don’t l-like each other and get into fights?”

 

Akane laughed. “Nekomaru’s my man. I like him just fine! You just don’t get any stronger if you hold back!”

 

“Akane and Nekomaru have a pretty  _ interesting _ relationship,” Kazuichi clarified, seeming to notice Mikan’s apparent confusion.

 

“I’m sorry!” Mikan blurted out almost immediately after. “I d-didn’t mean to insult y-your relationship! I-I’ll staple my mouth shut s-so I never s-say a-anything bad again about it!”

 

Akane blinked. “Uh, hey, no offence taken…” The others looked a bit surprised by Mikan’s response, too. 

 

Mikan turned bright red, and sweat started beading on her forehead.

 

Ibuki glanced around at the others’ expressions, and leaned in to kiss Mikan. “Hey, how’s Ibuki supposed to kiss her girlfriend if her mouth’s stapled shut?” She put on the biggest grin she could manage. “Besides if you ever made Akane mad, you’d know.”

 

The kiss seemed to relax Mikan a little bit, so Ibuki took it as a win. The rest of the night was filled with nachos, complaints about classes, speculation about what their profs did in their spare time, impassioned pleas for more members for Ibuki’s band, and of course, more beer. All the while, Ibuki made sure to hug Mikan close and show her lots of affection. Over the evening she remained fairly quiet, responding to others if they asked her questions, but not really taking the opportunity to lead the conversation. Ibuki supposed that made sense; Mikan was pretty shy.

 

Regardless, she was happy that Mikan had come with her, and had the opportunity to make new friends.

\---

It was the middle of the night, but Ibuki was far too energized to sleep. Spending time with friends and more-than-friends had her feeling inspired, and she was taking the opportunity to try out a few riffs. Most were kind of thrashy, some were a bit bluesy, some were twangy, and others had more of a black metal vibe going on. As she practiced, she wondered if there’d be some way to put all of them in the same song. She also wondered if it had been done before. She really hoped not, as she was really sure she had come up with something cool and original.

 

Finally, satisfied with how she put them together, she decided it was time to just relax for the night. Energized or not, she had class tomorrow. As she was putting her guitar away, though, her sensitive ears managed to catch a faint sound from the other side of the wall. Whatever it was, it had to be Mikan. Pressing her ear to the wall, Ibuki listened as closely as she could manage. As she focused, it became apparent that the sounds were of Mikan… crying?

 

Ibuki practically fell backwards. She thought tonight had gone really well! Did something happen while Mikan was alone in her room? Whatever it was, one in the morning or not, Ibuki was  _ not _ going to stand by and ignore her girlfriend being upset.

 

Marching out to the hallway in just her t-shirt and underwear, Ibuki started knocking on Mikan’s door. Hearing a few sniffles, but otherwise no response, she knocked again, a bit louder this time. “It’s Ibuki! Open up, Mikan!” She was probably a bit louder than she should have been, but she never cared to be quiet in the first place, let alone when Mikan was upset. She was just about to knock a third time, when the door opened up. Mikan was standing in the doorway, her nightgown hanging off her shoulder and her hair a mess. Even in the dim light of the hallway, Ibuki could see that her eyes were red and damp.

 

“I’m sorry… I-I w-was so loud and obnoxious… I probably w-woke you up…” Mikan sniffled. “I-”

 

Ibuki didn’t let Mikan say another word, stepping into her room and pulling Mikan into a hug. Ibuki closed her eyes as she felt Mikan collapse into her arms and cry into her shoulder. Every sob was like a little dagger to Ibuki’s heart. She wanted so badly for Mikan to be happy, and wished she could make whatever was upsetting her go away forever. For now, she settled for giving Mikan the best hug she could, holding her as long as she wanted.

 

Ibuki had no idea how long Mikan and her had stayed like that in the doorway when Mikan finally started to move around. Loosening her arms, she tilted her head to give Mikan a kiss on the cheek. “Wanna talk to Ibuki about it? She’s a really good listener, even if she’s really loud most of the time.”

 

Mikan wiped at her eyes. “Do… do you r-really want to listen?”

 

Ibuki nodded, kissing her on the cheek again. “You bet Ibuki does.”

 

Mikan nodded, and sniffled. “When y-you invited me to come spend time with you and your friends, I was s-so happy, but so worried too. I didn’t want t-to do anything stupid or make you look bad in front of your friends.”

 

‘“You didn’t, though…” Ibuki brushed Mikan’s hair away from her face.

 

Mikan shook her head. “I did… I got all nervous like I always d-do. I could tell I was being annoying like I always am, and I… I hate myself for it. I hate that I can’t j-just be n-normal…” She sniffled again, and looked away. “They f-felt like they had to talk to me, and I-I’m so sorry that they did…”

 

Ibuki tilted her head. “Why does Mikan think that no one wants to talk to her?”

 

“Because they don’t!” She blurted out, looking right at Ibuki. “I’m a stupid and disgusting pig!”

 

Ibuki was a bit taken aback by how vocal Mikan had gotten suddenly, but kept holding on to her. “Ibuki wants to know… when did you start thinking that about you?”

 

A long silence followed, with Mikan back to avoiding Ibuki’s eyes. All Ibuki could think about what what must have happened to make Mikan think that way about herself, when it was so untrue.

 

“N-not tonight…” Mikan finally spoke in a voice just above a whisper.

 

“Huh?”

 

“I… I want to talk… just… not tonight? P-please?” Mikan’s voice was a bit louder, but tired and pleading.

 

“Hey, sure thing. Ibuki’ll listen whenever you wanna talk.” It bothered her that Mikan was holding back something that was hurting her that much, but she also knew how hard talking could be for Mikan as well.  _ Maybe there’s another way Ibuki can help then… _ “Hey, do… do you want Ibuki to stay the night?”

 

Mikan was silent, her eyes wide with shock.

 

“I-Ibuki meant for cuddling!” She stammered. “Ibuki thought that since Mikan was upset tonight, it might be okay she could stick around and give you hugs and stuff if you’re feeling sad. Even if you don’t want to talk, Ibuki’s a real good cuddler, and she wants to try to do something nice for you and help you feel a bit better.”

 

There was another long silence as Mikan looked away for a while. Ibuki really hoped she didn’t say the wrong thing and make Mikan more upset. She just really wanted to help.

 

“I… um… okay…”

 

Ibuki draped her arms around Mikan’s neck. “Yeah?”

 

Mikan nodded. “I think I’d l-l-like that tonight.”

 

Smiling lovingly at Mikan, Ibuki led her over to the bed, laying down on the far edge to give her girlfriend lots of space. As Mikan laid down next to her, Ibuki wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. Nestling snugly against Mikan, Ibuki planted a small line of kisses on her shoulder. “Ibuki’s gonna stick around all night, and she’s gonna remind you just how special you are and how much you mean to her,” she said softly, punctuating her words with kisses on Mikan’s cheeks and lips.

 

“T-thank you…” Mikan murmured, burying her face into Ibuki’s shoulder and clinging on to her tightly.

 

Smiling, Ibuki stroked her back, pausing only to pull the blankets over them. Mikan’s breathing was still a bit shaky, which worried her, but she seemed significantly calmed down from earlier.  It made her happy that she could at least play some role in helping to make Mikan feel better. “Just like Ibuki said, she’s a pretty good cuddler, huh?”

 

“Y-yeah, you are…” 

 

Mikan nestled closer still, their bodies fitting close to one another like puzzle pieces. At this point Ibuki thought she’d need to call Hajime to come over and pry them apart tomorrow morning for class, since there was no way she was going to let go willingly. After spending a while laying next to Mikan, holding her close and listening to her breathing, Ibuki kissed her one last time, letting it last a bit longer than the others. She let her head relax on the pillow and closed her eyes. “‘Night, Mikan. Ibuki’s going to be dreaming about how lucky she is to be cuddling a total cutie to sleep…”

 

Mikan’s voice was gentle and breathy, and sounded like music to Ibuki’s ears. “Good night Ibuki… I think I’ll have good dreams too… as long as I fall asleep next to you…”

 

Between the warmth, affection, and knowledge that Mikan was doing better, sleep came easily to Ibuki. It would be the best sleep she had in years.


	4. Safe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikan wakes up next to Ibuki, and the two continue their conversation from the night before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to split what was going to be chapter 4 into 2 shorter chapters. Hence the shorter length this time around! Thank you so much everyone who's been reading <3
> 
> Also, a content warning for descriptions of abuse this chapter.

Mikan slowly blinked the sleep from her eyes. It hadn’t been a very long sleep, but it was restful.. Groggily, she rolled over to her other side, only to come face to face with Ibuki. Multicolored hair stuck out all over the place, and a spot on the pillow had become damp with drool. Her legs stuck out from under the covers, while her arm remained firmly wrapped around Mikan.

 

Mikan giggled softly. It was one of the nicest sights she had ever woken up to. Deciding to enjoy it as best she could, she nuzzled into Ibuki’s collarbone and closed her eyes once more, listening to her heartbeat. Much to her surprise, it was slow and gentle. Ibuki was practically bouncing off the walls most of the time, but for now she seemed like she was at peace. Mikan smiled a bit to herself. She felt so comfortable in Ibuki’s arms, and in that moment actually felt as though she was truly cared for.

 

Mikan had no idea how to even describe it, having never truly felt it before, but the thought still crossed her mind.  _ Is this what it’s like… to feel safe? _

 

Mikan had no idea how long she stayed like that. She knew it must have been a while, since the sun was beginning to shine even more brightly through her curtains. Mikan scarcely moved, and didn’t want to, occasionally letting out a soft, contented hum as she cuddled with Ibuki. Right now it felt like even  _ she _ couldn’t mess anything up.

 

Eventually, she could feel Ibuki begin to shift as she yawned and stretched out her arms. Mikan stiffened a bit. Was this too much? Did Ibuki want space?

 

She was immediately answered by Ibuki’s arm finding its way around her waist. Her pink eyes gazed at her affectionately. “Hey, Mikan…”

 

Letting out a little sigh of relief that she’d get to stay a bit longer, Mikan smiled. “Good morning, Ibuki.”

 

“Can I ask you something?”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Do you ever think bears are up to anything?”

 

Mikan blinked. “W-what?”

 

“You know, bears. Are they trying to hide something from us? They seem all cute and stuff and then WHAM! Some hiker just gets eaten!” Ibuki propped her head up on her other arm.

 

“W-why are you thinking a-about bears?” Mikan scrunched up her face a bit.  _ I did remember to shave my legs yesterday, right? _

Ibuki just giggled. “Just a weird dream! But a weird dream that told Ibuki not to trust bears!” She kissed Mikan’s forehead, eliciting a blush. “How’d Mikan sleep?”

 

“”Um… I think on my side.”

 

“Ibuki means did you sleep okay!”

 

‘“Oh! I slept really well…” Mikan smiled softly. She had no idea just sharing a bed together could be so nice.

 

“Good! Ibuki was worried she might have snored really loud or something like that.” She proceeded to make loud, exaggerated snoring noises to illustrate what she meant.

 

Mikan laughed a bit. “You weren’t!” Her expression turned more serious though. “If y-you did, that could be a sign of sleep apnea, and that could be v-very bad for your health. Not that I would ever let it get bad...” she said, trailing off a bit as she nuzzled into Ibuki’s neck. Even the thought of something happening to her made Mikan feel nervous.

 

“Hey, it’ll take more than a bit of snoring to keep Ibuki Mioda down!” She gave Mikan a reassuring squeeze. “Ibuki’s been feeling like a million bucks lately, too!”

 

Mikan lifted her head back up slightly, scanning Ibuki’s face. She was unable to suppress the smile that came to her lips from just looking at her. Lying down with her like this was as intoxicating as the scent of isopropanol. “Ibuki…” Mikan murmured. “Do y-you think we could sleep like this all the time?”

 

“You mean together?”

 

Mikan nodded. “It feels r-really nice, and I d-don’t get so worried at night when you’re around.”

 

“WOOOO! YES WE CAN!” Ibuki shouted, squeezing Mikan tightly. “Mikan’s so soft and cuddly that Ibuki never wants to let her go!”

 

Mikan felt herself blushing again. Even after having spent so much time together, and being well away from the eyes of others, Ibuki still had that kind of effect on her.

 

“So do we wanna trade off? Mikan’s room one night, then Ibuki’s, then Mikan’s?”

 

“Okay…” Mikan smiled. Ibuki’s room was pretty messy, but just the thought of getting to spend nights with her more than made up for it!

 

“Yeah! Ibuki’s all excited now!” She grinned. “Plus if you’re ever upset like last night, I can be there for you right away!”

Mikan’s smile faded at that, and she nodded. That had been the whole reason they spent the night together in the first place. Her whining and crying was so loud that she had to go over there to try to get her to shut up. “I-I’m really s-sorry about that…” She looked down as other thoughts started to intrude into her head. “I didn’t m-mean to make y-you think you had to do that all the time. I-it’s just like me to be s-selfish like that…”

 

“Woah, hey Mikan, Ibuki doesn’t think she has to do that. You suggested it and the idea made me really happy, so I said yes!” She grinned again, as though she were trying to encourage Mikan.

 

Mikan just shook her head. “Y-you don’t need to say that… you d-don’t need to p-pretend like you want to for s-someone stupid like m-me. I’m s-sorry I made you think that.” She looked away. 

 

Ibuki was struck silent at that. It felt like hours had passed when she finally spoke again. “Do you remember the question Ibuki asked you last night? If someone made you think you were this awful person?”

 

Mikan just whimpered in response. She knew it was going to come to this sooner or later. Ibuki was going to find out just how much was wrong with her. How she really was every bit as awful as she said she was. If she was lucky, Ibuki would want to hurt her for being such a stupid, whiny bitch. If she was unlucky, then Ibuki would just get up and leave and never speak to her again. Mikan winced, but still remained silent. _ Show her how sorry you are for being you. _

 

Ibuki sighed. “Ibuki’s really worried about you, Mikan. She really is a good listener, you know.”

 

It was more of that confounding kindness from her. She didn’t seem angry or upset with Mikan at all. “W-why…”

 

“Why what?”

 

“Y-you’re being so nice to me!” Mikan blurted out, turning to look straight at Ibuki.

 

“Well, Ibuki cares about you a lot! Why wouldn’t she be nice to you?”

 

Mikan took a deep breath, and sat up in the bed. Ibuki sat right up next to her, stroking her back. “It’s just… n-no one’s e-e-ever treated me l-like you have before. Y-you’re the first person t-to be s-s-so nice…” Mikan felt her lip tremble. She really hoped that whatever she said, that Ibuki wouldn’t want to leave. “M-my family always thought I w-was annoying and stupid… if they didn’t ignore me, they’d h-hit me with things if I m-made mistakes, put cigarettes out o-on me…” Mikan could feel the tears dripping down her cheeks as she went on. “A-at school I’d b-be teased for being so nervous… the other girls would only ever p-pay attention to me to c-call me names, throw things at me, m-make fun of my scars…”

 

“Your scars?” Ibuki’s voice was quiet.

 

Mikan’s fingers trembled as she nodded, and slowly undid the buttons on the back of her nightgown. She could hear Ibuki gasp as her back was revealed; exposing numerous cuts, welts, and burn marks all over. Some had almost faded, but others looked to have been made only a short time ago. Mikan winced, the feeling of Ibuki’s gaze on her back almost painful, and the moments of silence even moreso.

 

“T-they did all those things to you?”  As Mikan looked back, Ibuki’s eyes were wide, her nostrils flaring.   
  
Immediately, Ibuki’s expression triggered a sense of panic and fear in Mikan. “I’m sorry! I-I shouldn’t have said anything! I already made you miss class and n-now I made you upset.” Mikan looked away, her cheeks completely soaked with her tears at this point. ”I’m just the worst person… I can’t even talk to you about m-myself right! I-”

 

Mikan was cut off as Ibuki yanked her close and kissed her deeply. Caught off guard, her eyes opened wide and she made muffled sounds against Ibuki’s lips. Why was she doing this? Did she just make Ibuki think that was something she needed to do?  _ Why else would anyone want to kiss someone like me? _ The doubts grew weaker and weaker as Ibuki kept her lips pressed against her, Mikan’s body finally starting to relax slightly.

 

Pulling away, she felt Ibuki cradling her face gently, but urging her to look her in the eye. “I’d never be mad at you about that…”   
  
“I-I-I’m j-just so afraid o-of m-making people mad...” Mikan sobbed. “I-it feels e-even worse, b-because sometimes I think a-at least they c-care enough to be mad, a-and then it’s like… w-what’s wrong with me?!”

 

“Nothing is…” Ibuki whispered, kissing her on the cheek. 

 

Mikan felt herself jerk away slightly, not expecting the touch at all. Looking up to Ibuki, though, she still didn’t seem angry. She still looked at her with the same concerned, loving eyes. Mikan couldn’t even stammer out an apology she was so unsure of how to react to things.

 

“Ibuki’s real mad at all the people who hurt you like that. She’d beat them over the head with her guitar and then shove it right where the sun doesn’t shine like WHAM!” Mikan tensed up as Ibuki was about to slam her fist into her hand for emphasis. Seeming to notice her discomfort, though, Ibuki stopped herself. “She’d never, EVER want to make you feel like that, though.”

 

Mikan felt her heart stop a moment. “Y-you mean you don’t care about me?”

 

Ibuki shook her head furiously. “No! I mean that Ibuki never wants you to be scared, nervous, or worry that you’re going to get hurt like that again,” she said, her voice cracking a bit as she took Mikan’s hand and squeezed it tightly. “That’s never a way someone should show they care about you! They should show they care by making you smile, making you feel special, making you feel like you just got tickets to your favorite band every time you see them!” Ibuki sniffled a little before continuing. “That’s what Ibuki wants to do. She wants to make you just as happy as you make her…”

 

Her breathing shaky, Mikan tried her best to keep her composure as she spoke. “You r-really mean that, d-don’t you?” It really was starting to sink in as she spoke the words.

 

“Hell to the yes I do!” Ibuki practically shouted it. “Ibuki’s gonna be as patient as you need, too. She’ll give you all the reminders, cuddles, and affection that you need, all right?”

 

Mikan gave up on trying to keep it together at that. She let herself cry like she did the night before as she fell into Ibuki’s arms. It was so hard to believe that someone would actually want to be so kind to her that it completely overwhelmed her. For almost her entire life a good day had simply been one where she wasn’t bullied or ignored. Someone staying with her or wanting to actually take the time to make her feel cared about was unthinkable.

 

Until Ibuki.

 

Mikan had no idea how long she had been crying for, completely giving herself over to the release of emotion. She let out the pain from recalling everything she had been through, as well as the overwhelming gratitude to have someone with her who actually cared. It turned out she had an answer to the question she asked herself earlier.

 

This really was how it felt to feel safe.


	5. Rocked Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ibuki has her first show with her band, and is insistent she's up for it. Mikan ends up supporting her girlfriend in more ways than one, and the two share what's been building in their hearts all along.

“HELL YES!” Ibuki ended the call she was on and pulled Mikan into a big hug right in the middle of the hallway, kissing her all over her face. 

 

“W-what is it?” An increasingly reddening Mikan asked, relaxing into Ibuki’s arms as the hug went on.

 

“My band just got our first gig! WOOOOO!” She let go of Mikan and started bouncing up and down on her feet. Months of practice were finally starting to pay off.  If she was energetic most of the time, this news had her feeling absolutely hyperactive. “We’ll be playing at the university lounge this Friday!”

 

“Oh, um, that’s a good place to play, right?”

 

“It is!” Ibuki giggled and skipped around in circles.”We got almost an hour to play, too! Ibuki better let Hajime know so we can write a couple more songs by then. A few days is enough time to do that, right?”

 

“Um-”

 

“YES IT IS!” Ibuki answered for her, frantically texting Hajime while somehow leaning in to give her girlfriend another kiss. Even as more time passed since the call, the feeling of giddiness just wouldn’t leave her.

 

Then Mikan smiled that pretty smile of hers. “I-I’m not sure I’m m-much cut out for concerts… b-but I’ll definitely come there to support you.”

 

Ibuki clasped her hands to her mouth in excitement. Any time Mikan offered to head out for an event like that, even with her anxiety, Ibuki knew and appreciated what a big deal it was. “Ibuki really does have the best girlfriend ever!” She squealed and took Mikan’s hands in her own.

 

“I’m just really h-happy for you!” Mikan smiled and let herself get a bit closer to Ibuki. “If this is important t-to you, it’s important to me too.”

 

Ibuki giggled again. She truly loved how supported she felt around Mikan. It made her feel like she could do just about anything. Even if it was stuff she could already do, like play music. Then it just felt even better to do it!

 

Now if only she could think of a way to describe that feeling to Mikan herself.

\---

Friday came more quickly than Ibuki had anticipated. Writing the next couple songs and practicing them with Hajime got done, but at the expense of a few nights of sleep. It’s not a big deal, though; the worst Ibuki has to show for it is a bit of disorientation and some achiness in her joints. Not nearly enough to slow her down, even as she’s hauling equipment up onto the stage and setting up the cables.

 

As she went through the sound check, examining her and Hajime’s mics and tuning up her guitar, she gazed out into the crowd. There were the people eating there before, and a few new people filing in. Among them is Mikan, and her eyes fix on her right away. The grin on her face got even wider as she did. Mikan’s presence was enough to make a special night feel even more special. Ibuki wasn’t sure she took her eyes off her for even a second as she adjusted her microphone.

 

“Helllloooooo everyone!” She chirped into the microphone. “We’re Drug Resistant Bacteria, and this one is dedicated to the amazingly cute someone who inspired our name, and our first song! This one’s called Getting Your Heart Stolen by the Girl Next Door!”   
  
Ibuki suppressed a giggle as Mikan turned bright red. Still, she was smiling and remained looking right at the stage. “Okay! And a one, two, three, four!” Ibuki then let out a bloodcurdling scream before launching into rapid-fire arpeggios. Hajime tried frantically to keep up with the rhythm they had practiced, and actually did an okay job of it. After a few seconds of that, Ibuki slowed down a bit to play some power chords as she snarled and growled into the microphone, backing up and furiously headbanging as she started into a thrashy riff. By the time she got to the song’s first solo, the achiness that had been in her limbs before had faded away, replaced with the sensation of pure adrenaline.

 

Finishing the song on a glass shattering high note, Ibuki looked out to the crowd. Almost everyone had just been standing there in stunned silence. Except for Mikan, however, who was clapping enthusiastically. Ibuki started jumping on the stage with joy; everything else about Mikan was already great, and she really appreciated her artistic vision, too? She was tempted to start planning the wedding right after the show!

 

Flashing Mikan a wink, she gestured at Hajime to begin their next song, which proceeded much like the first. For the next forty five minutes Ibuki led them in song after song, confusing or driving out most of the audience. Ibuki wasn’t too upset by it; some people just needed a bit more time to come around to what the future of music was like! Besides, there were still some fans of what they were doing, and most importantly, Mikan was there smiling and cheering them on.

 

A bit short of breath as she finished the set, Ibuki threw up the horns to the crowd. “Thank you! We are Drug Resistant Bacteria, and you all have an awesome night!” Leaping off the stage, she ran over to Mikan. Her girlfriend squealed as Ibuki picked her up with a running hug, twirling around with her a few times before finally setting her back on her feet.

 

“W-wow, Ibuki! That was really… um…”

 

“Incredible?!”

 

“Um, yes! And v-very interesting…” Mikan giggled. “I usually prefer something a bit softer… but it made me r-really happy to watch you perform.”

 

Ibuki replied with a grin and a big kiss on the cheek. “Having you in the crowd gave Ibuki all of the inspiration she needed to put on a great show! She screamed her ass off just for you, you know.”

 

“Y-you did?” Mikan looked a bit concerned. “You shouldn’t d-do that… that kind of excessive use can damage your vocal cords.”

 

“Pfft! Ibuki’s no amateur! It’s all about proper technique, so Ibuki can scream all the way until she’s an old lady. Like, hey kids! Get off Ibuki’s lawn and listen to your music louder!” She gave Mikan a squeeze and another kiss. Despite being so close to Mikan, though, she felt a sudden chill, her body shivering a bit.

 

Mikan had blushed at the kiss, but looked even more concerned now. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

 

“Of course! Ibuki just needs a sweater,” she smiled. “Hajime did pretty good too, didn’t he?”

 

“Yeah, and he could use your help putting all this away!” Hajime called over from the stage, lifting up the bass drum.

 

“Oh, right! Ibuki will be right back, ‘kay?” Giving Mikan a third kiss, she ran over to the stage, and started to wrap up the cables. As the buzz from the concert slowly started to wear off, however, she noticed that the chill wasn’t going away, and even seemed to be getting a bit worse. She ignored it. There was probably just a bit of a draft, and she could always grab her jacket once she was done helping to clean up.

 

“Hey, are you feeling all right, Ibuki?” Hajime asked as he put the cymbals away. “You’re looking pretty pale.”

 

“Huh? I feel fine!” Ibuki insisted, zipping up her guitar case. “Ibuki’s always feeling in great shape!”

 

“It’s not you being in shape that I’m worried about…” Hajime sighed. “Just take it easy tonight, okay?”

 

She pouted a bit before finally responding. “Fiiiiine! Ibuki and Mikan will just have a couple of drinks, then she’ll be all responsible and stuff.” She went to slip on her jacket, and put on her guitar case. She frowned as she felt the dull ache from before returning to her arms. She pushed herself through it as she moved over to the bar, patting the seat next to her as she flashed a smile at Mikan.

 

Mikan took the seat next to her, but looked even more worried than usual. “Ibuki, c-could we please go b-back to your dorm? You don’t look well…”

 

“Why’s everyone so worried? Ibuki’s fine! Just a little tired after the show!” She looked over to the bartender. “One water, and one cheapest beer you got!”

 

Mikan frowned, and held her hand to Ibuki’s forehead. As soon as she touched it, she gasped in shock. “Y-you feel so hot!”

 

Ibuki grinned, and made finger guns to Mikan. “Thanks, cutie!”   
  


“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it like that! B-but well, I guess it’s still true like that, but…” Mikan shook her head. “You f-feel like you have a fever!” Mikan started frantically digging around in her purse.

 

“Huh?” Ibuki raised an eyebrow, accepting the drinks as the bartender came by. She certainly didn’t think she had a fever. She just felt chilly. And sore. And a bit sweaty now. She reached out to grab her beer before Mikan grabbed her arm.

 

“J-just wait until I take your temperature, okay?” Mikan held a thermometer in one hand, and gently pressed down on Ibuki’s chin with the other. Ibuki complied, and opened her mouth to let Mikan take her temperature.. She didn’t usually see Mikan being quite so insistent or taking the lead like this. It was kind of nice to see her act a bit more decisively, though.

 

She leaned into Mikan’s touch a bit as she stroked her hair before removing the thermometer. She gasped in shock once more as she read it. “Your fever is 104 d-degrees! We need to go b-back to the dorms right now!”

 

“Woah!” Ibuki paused for a moment. “Um, is that high?”

 

“It’s a-almost dangerously high!” Mikan got out of her chair and started tugging insistently on Ibuki’s arm. “Y-you probably have a flu. You need to get some bed rest right away! P-please, Ibuki!”

 

Ibuki was about to protest, but when she saw how worried Mikan looked, and heard the pleading tone in her voice, she just nodded. “Okay. Let’s go back, then.” Setting down some money for the undrank beer, Ibuki took Mikan’s hand, feeling suddenly very exhausted as she got up out of her chair.  _ Woah, it really was that bad, huh? _

 

The walk back to the dorms was quick, but thoroughly awful as Ibuki just felt achier and achier. Mikan was silent, just walking as quickly as she could until they both arrived at Ibuki’s room. As soon as the door was opened, Mikan immediately started making the bed. Once she was done, she gestured to Ibuki to lay down. “I’m going to g-get you some water. You need to d-drink a lot when you have the flu, especially since you can sweat so much with a fever. Do you w-want me to get another pillow while I’m out?”

 

Ibuki shook her head. “Nah, Ibuki’s okay.” She smiled weakly, throwing her jacket over her chair.

Mikan nodded. “I’ll be back really soon, okay?” With that, she headed out the door. Ibuki immediately stripped out of her clothes before falling down on the bed. Despite feeling more and more like crap, she still found herself smiling a bit; everyone expected her to be so energetic and on top of things, but with Mikan she could actually slow down a bit. It was nice. It was… safe, even.

 

With that thought, she drifted off to sleep.

 

\--

 

When Ibuki awoke, she found herself having trouble breathing, and feeling very, very warm. As her eyes adjusted to the light, and she felt around herself, she could see and feel Mikan wrapped tightly around her torso, hugging her head close to her chest. In almost any other circumstance, she’d be cheering for joy, but the lack of breath was starting to get to her.

 

“Um, Mikan…”

 

Mikan didn’t respond.

 

She gently shook Mikan with one of her hands, and tried her best to take a deep breath. “Hey Mikan, Ibuki thinks this is awesome, but breathing’s kinda hard…”

 

Mikan blinked a bit, and yawned.  _ Oh geeze does she ever have a cute yawn!  _ Looking down sleepily at Ibuki, her expression turned to one of panic, and she sprung out of bed. “AHHHH! I’M S-SORRY!” She hurriedly poured a glass of water. “T-that’s the l-last thing you n-need when you have a fever! I’m s-s-sorry you had to t-touch me like that! P-please drink this s-so you don’t get d-dehydrated or overheated!”

 

“It’s okay!” Ibuki managed weakly, taking a big drink of water. She really did feel incredibly hot and thirsty, in addition to all the aches which had gotten even worse somehow. “Ibuki never has a problem with Mikan getting nice and close.”

 

“I-I like cuddling too, b-but we n-need to be careful with your temperature!” Mikan insisted, refilling the glass as soon as Ibuki was done. “I’ll take your t-temperature as soon as you’re d-done drinking, so I can make sure it hasn’t gotten any worse.”

 

Ibuki just nodded, and drank down the water. She couldn’t remember the last time it felt so good just to have water. Just as Mikan wanted, she let her take her temperature afterwards. It was pretty boring having to sit still while the thermometer worked, but it was totally worth it to have Mikan stroking her cheek while she waited.

 

Mikan examined the thermometer when the beep sounded. “Still 104… i-it’s not a-any better, but at least it’s not worse…” Mikan let out a sigh of relief. “I d-don’t know what I’d do if it was worse. You might have to go to the hospital then, b-but I’d never want to let you go…”

 

Ibuki blinked a bit at the last part, Mikan’s voice sounding… darker than usual. She pushed it out of her head. “Ibuki isn’t going to let some flu put her in the hospital! She’s gonna do what her super amazing girlfriend says and get better.”

 

Mikan giggled, and kissed Ibuki on the cheek. “Good… you being healthy makes me happy!”

 

Ibuki grinned. “So, do you think we can go to the dining hall? Ibuki’s getting pretty h-”

 

“No!” Mikan shook her head emphatically. “You need all the b-bed rest you can get, especially after you pushed yourself so hard last night! If you’re feeling okay, I can get some breakfast and bring it here, okay?”

 

Ibuki already felt antsy at not being able to move around, but she nodded. “Whatever my super smart nurse girlfriend says.”

 

Mikan blushed a bit as she slipped into her dress from last night. “I’ll just be a l-little bit, okay?”

 

Ibuki nodded, and laid back down to rest. As she closed her eyes, she thought more about last night and how it felt to have someone care so much about how she was doing. Ibuki was all about trying to brighten everyone’s day, and make them happy. It was one of the reasons she was always so energetic.

 

She felt the same with Mikan, of course, but Mikan seemed just as eager to return the favor. Even now, when Ibuki was feeling so under the weather, Mikan was set on doing anything she could to make her feel better. The most amazing thing about it was, though, was that she had absolutely no reason to be like that. After all of the things Mikan had endured throughout her life, Ibuki wouldn’t have blamed her for one second if she was angry or closed off, but instead she was one of the sweetest girls that Ibuki had ever met.  She genuinely cared about and wanted to help people. Even if it turned out there was some ulterior motive, like doing it just to have someone around her… didn’t she deserve that? 

 

Ibuki thought more about what she was pondering days ago, on how to express that to Mikan. What was the best way to let her know just how appreciated she was for what she did, especially now? How could she really show Mikan how happy she made her?

 

Her thinking was cut short as true to her word, Mikan was back quickly, bringing a bit of buttered toast and orange juice for the two of them. It wasn’t her usual sugar-loaded cereal, but she was appreciative nonetheless.

 

“You should try to sit up if you can,” Mikan said softly, holding out a cup of juice for Ibuki to drink from. “Your body will have an easier time w-with bland, light foods like this.” Ibuki just nodded, taking a sip from the glass as Mikan held out a piece of toast for her as well. She started to reach for it when Mikan spoke up. “Um, I can f-feed you if that’s easier…”

 

Ibuki smiled, and let Mikan do just that, taking small bites of toast. What might have felt uncool or embarrassing with someone else felt completely different with Mikan. There didn’t feel like there was any assumption Ibuki couldn’t do it, or any judgment. Just pure affection on the part of Mikan, and that affection completely filled Ibuki.

 

Giggling a bit as Mikan wiped the crumbs off her mouth, Ibuki just gazed up at her. Knowing she was cared for, appreciated, and safe, it was in that moment the words came to her.

 

“Ibuki loves you a whole lot, Mikan.”

 

Mikan dropped the plate on the ground,and just stared at Ibuki. “W-What?”

 

“I love you, Mikan,” she said with a smile, hoping repeating it might help calm her down from her shock.

 

“B-b-but… you c-could be with a-anyone, or f-f-fall in love with you wanted to… not just a p-pig like m-” Mikan stopped herself.

 

“Ibuki wants to be with you, though,” she replied, sitting up a bit straighter in bed. “Because you make her happy and she loves you!”

 

Mikan took deep breaths, and for a moment, Ibuki had worried she might have said the wrong thing. That fear only grew as she saw the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Before she could say anything more, though, Mikan sat down on the bed right next to her, clasped her hand in both of hers, and looked Ibuki straight in the eye. “If y-y-you’re really sure, then…” she sniffled. “Then I love you too.”

 

Ibuki grinned like she never had, right before Mikan pulled her close and kissed her like she didn’t have the flu. It was soft, loving, and passionate, and Ibuki would have been totally fine to have stayed like that all day. Eventually they’d both need to catch their breath, though, pulling out of the kiss and pressing their foreheads together. Her head was still pounding and she still felt exhausted, but Ibuki could care less.

 

She was in love, Mikan was in love, and right now that was all that mattered.


End file.
